Story perspectives

Judge Blocks Deportation After ICE Officer Shooting in Austin

By Drooid · Sep 25, 2026, 2:55 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

ICE Officer Shoots Driver

ICE officer shot Venezuelan DoorDash driver Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez in Austin, Texas.
The bullet lodged near his spine, causing arm weakness and requiring a sling.
Attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch said ICE vehicles sideswiped his car during the delivery.
U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia blocked his deportation and set a September 30 hearing.

Summary

Mayor Watson Demands Transparency

U.S. President Donald Trump’s second-term immigration enforcement surge has sparked unrest in multiple U.S. cities.
Mayor Kirk Watson said Austinites deserve the truth and city participation in the shooting investigation.
Dozens of demonstrators waved Mexican and Guatemalan flags while demanding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement leave Austin.
Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) released an ad condemning detention of individuals without criminal records.

History

Historical Context

The 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, signed by President Bill Clinton, created the 287(g) partnership that lets local police act as immigration officers and expanded ICE detention capacity to 1.5 million people that year, a 30 % rise. That enforcement framework underpins ICE’s Austin, Texas shooting of driver Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez and the protests in San Diego and New York.

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ICE Officer Shoots Driver

ICE officer shot Venezuelan DoorDash driver Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez in Austin, Texas.
The bullet lodged near his spine, causing arm weakness and requiring a sling.
Attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch said ICE vehicles sideswiped his car during the delivery.
U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia blocked his deportation and set a September 30 hearing.

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